Stony Brook will continue to improve undergraduate education and the recruitment
and retention of students. In the last five years, the undergraduate program
has been enhanced with initiatives ranging from increased mentoring, to special
programs that engage undergraduates' interest, through programs that encourage
pedagogical experimentation, to the establishment of several exciting interdisciplinary
teaching and research units. To continue this development and accommodate
the expanding undergraduate student body, the University will review what
has been accomplished thus far to ensure that students' curricular needs are
met, and continue carefully planned innovation.

2001-2002 PROJECTS

Redesign orientation programs so that both the summer one-day placement/orientation
program and the opening of school are welcoming, academically meaningful,
and enjoyable experiences for new students. (1.2, Provost, Vice President
for Student Affairs)

An expanded opening week program was initiated in fall 2000 to provide students
an integrated experience with a more academic orientation. New students now
attend a formal convocation, sessions with faculty and deans, introductions
to campus services and activities, and social events. All new freshmen receive
a summer readingMalcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point in 2002in
preparation for an assembly with the author on opening day. The summer reading
is also used in USB 101 and the first-year writing course.

The summer orientation program has been fine-tuned, with more general faculty
advising, more and better-trained orientation leaders, and more attention
to individual students. A streamlined schedule permits all students to leave
campus with a complete fall schedule. The Parents' Program has also been enhanced.

Improve the advising program, especially for first-year students. Continue
to improve the Advising Center, building strong relationships between Advising
and the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT), and increasing
faculty involvement in advising. Establish procedures within departments for
providing majors with systematic academic advice regarding their current and
future education and career goals. (1.2, Provost)

Recent developments in the advising program include hiring more faculty advisors
for summer orientation, recruiting a stronger and more diverse staff in the
Advising Center, expanding peer advising and pre-health advising, and establishing
a formal liaison program between the Advising Center and academic departments.
A Faculty Oversight Committee and monthly Advising Community meetings further
ensure coordination. The Advising Center and CELT together run the Achievement
Support Program, which works with faculty in large freshman courses to identify
and assist new students in academic difficulty. Advising for high-achieving
students will be strengthened for the class of 2002 with the creation of the
Alpha Tau Honor Society, which will have a dedicated faculty advisor.

Ensure that teaching evaluation procedures support efforts to improve teaching.
Consider changing the current procedures to make the evaluations more useful,
and make changes as appropriate. (1.3, Provost; Vice President, Health Sciences
Center)

The Distinguished Teaching Professors group completed an analysis of current
evaluation procedures in 2001-02 and plans to recommend the addition of a
formative evaluation process occurring early in the semester. The Office of
Institutional Research is working with faculty with statistics expertise to
develop a new report with better comparative information on the teaching evaluation
data currently collected. Implementation is planned for 2002-03.

In the Health Sciences Center, the Schools of Nursing and Medicine are developing
online teaching evaluations; Nursing already uses them in Distance Learning
programs. The School of Health Technology and Management has instituted faculty
peer review that includes teaching, an alumni survey on educational improvements,
and an open-ended evaluation policy by which students can comment on courses
on an ongoing basis.

Develop a strategic plan for internationalization. (1.3, Provost)

In spring 2002 the provost convened an International Council to develop a
plan for integrating and expanding international activities including study
abroad, student exchange programs, internationalization of curricular offerings,
and co-curricular programs. Recent initiatives include a new public lecture
series, "Current Global Issues," expanded course offerings, and
special sections of USB 101 featuring international issues. Stony Brook is
also working with SUNY Albany and the Governor's Office to establish the Neil
D. Levin Graduate Institute, which will provide educational programs in international
relations and commerce and support for the development of new international
partnerships.

Develop a policy and mechanism to recruit in the early grades the children
of faculty and staff in all job categories as prospective Stony Brook students.
(1.4, Provost)

A specific recruitment policy and mechanism have not yet been developed. The
children of faculty and staff are currently recruited through an array of
community outreach programs, such as summer camps, academic programs, and
community events. Brochures for most of these programs are mailed to all faculty
and staff and detailed in the new Community Resource Guide.

Provide consistent service hours for all student service departments,
and ensure that staff is available to conduct administrative business for
evening students. (1.5, Provost; Vice President for Administration)

Student service departments are open daily during business hours. Services
in the Administration Building LobbyFinancial Aid, Bursar/Student Accounts
and the Registrarare also open on Tuesday evenings when classes are
in session. Service hours are under review in spring 2002, in preparation
for a new schedule for fall 2002.

Ensure that students have ready access to administrative forms in both
paper and electronic formats. Create a forms area in the Administration Building
lobby that provides important forms and posted prototypes for completing them.
(1.5, Provost; Vice President for Administration)

A forms area was created in the Administration Building lobby. The SOLAR website,
opened in spring 2002 as the web portal to PeopleSoft, permits students to
register, add and drop courses, join course waitlists, view financial aid
and billing information, and check student employment opportunities.